Cigar lighter



Jan. 3o, 1934. J, H. COHEN '1,944,925

CIGAR LIGHTER Filed April 22, 1929 TRA NSL UCE/VT I N VEN TOR.

@sep/7A( C077 z,

` A ORNEY.

Patented Jan. 30, 1934 UNITED sianss PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to electric cigar-lighters, and moreparticularly, to that type of cigarlighter which comprises a holdingdevice adapted to be supported on an instrument board or other suitablelsupport, and an igniting unit adapted to be mounted on the holdingdevice for quick and complete removal and replacement after a heatingelement carried by the igniting device has been brought to incandescenceso that the heat- 1 ing element may be applied to the end of a cigar orcigarette to ignite the same.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improvedcigar-lighter of the kind referred to, in which the holding devicecomprises a socket and the igniting device a plug to be inserted in andsupported by the socket, and provides means for facilitating themounting of the socket on the instrument board of a motor vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic switch in thesocket adapted to close a circuit through the igniting unit when theigniting unit, which' is supported in twopole engagement with theholding device, is

moved inwardly on the holding device.

A further object is to provide improved means on the holding device forresiliently holding the igniting unit on the holding device againstaccidental or unintentional removal.

And a still further object of this invention is to provide an improvedigniting unit and heating element therefor.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear. f

In the accompanying drawing which-illustrates one form of the invention,.that at present preferred- Figure 1 is a sectional view of the holdingde- 'vice and igniting unit mounted in position on a suitable support,such as the instrument board of a motor vehicle.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig.-1, but showing the igniting unit inelevation, and showing the latter in the position which it occupies whena 4 current-supply circuit through the vheating element is closed.

Fig. 3A is a disassembled view of the igniting unit, the sleeveconstituting the socket for it,and the plate and accompanying means Aforsecuring the socket to the instrument board. o

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the holding device with the igniting unitremoved.

Fig. 5 is an elevation showing the end of the igniting unit whichcarries the heating element.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a modication of the igniting unit shown inFigs. 1 to 3.

The electric cigar-lighter of the present invention, as shown in theaccompanying drawing, comprises an igniting unit 10 and a holding desovice 11, the former being mounted on the latter .for quick removal andreplacement. The holding device forms' a socket for receiving theigniting unit which is cylindrical and constitutes a plug. e5 Theholding device includes a sleeve 12 adapted v to be inserted in a hole13 in an instrument board 14 or the like and has an outwardly extendingflange or bead 15 at its forward end adapted to engage the face of theinstrument board at the '10I margin of the hole 13 and limit the inwardmovement of the sleeve through the hole in the instrument board 14. Atits inner end the sleeve 12 is provided with an end wall 16 having araperture 1'7 in which a post-like member 18 is mounted. 15 Thispost-like member 18 has a flange 19 engaging the inner side of the endwall 16 and another flange 20 engaging the outer surface of the end wall16 and formed by peening over the material of the post adjacent the ange19. The post 18 has a screw-threaded end portion 21 over which aclamping plate 22 is adapted to be placed after the sleeve 12 has beeninserted in the hole in the instrument board, the clamping plateA 22having an aperture 23 fitting over the threaded 85 portion 21 of thepost. The clamping plate 22 is U-shaped and has forwardly extending arms24 of such length that the edges 25 thereof are adapted to engage therear face of the instrument board when the clamping plate is placed overthe threaded portion 2l of the post. After receiving the clamping plate22, the threaded portion 21 of the post is adapted to have. placedthereon a nut 26 and a washer 27, and when the former is tightened, itdrives the clamping plate 22 for- 95 wardly against the back of theinstrument board and at the same time draws the sleeve 12 backwardly sothat the iiange 15k engages firmly against the front face of theinstrument board while the ends 25 of the clamping plate 22 are 100firmly clamped against the back of the instrument board.

The holding device also includes 'means for carrying current to theigniting device and a switch mechanism for normally opening the circuitleading to the igniting device. These means comprise a wire 28 connectedto a battery 29 or other suitable source of current, which passesthrough a central bore in the post 18 and `is connected at its end to acontact 31 mounted in a 110 bushing of insulating material mounted inthe post 18. This contact terminal 31 is not, however, directly engagedby the igniting unit, but is located within a sleeve or cap 32 slidablymounted on the post 18 and normally held in the position shown in Fig. 1by a spring 33 with a anged inner end 34 thereon engaging against aflange 35 on the post. At the center of its end portion, the cap 32 isprovided with a contact 36 adapted to engage the live contact 31 on thepost when the cap is moved inwardly against the tension of the spring33, as shown in Fig. 2. This contact 36 is electrically connected withan external contact 37 adapted to engage the'heating element or someother part of the igniting device to make contact therewith, and thecontacts 36 and 37 are insulated from the cap 32.

The other contact on theholding device comprises a sleeve 12 which,being in electrical engagement with the instrument board, is connectedto the other side of the battery 29 through the ground of the vehicle.If the instrument board should be made of wood or other insulatingmaterial, the other side of the battery may be connected to the sleevel2 by a wire placed between the washer 27 and the clamping plate 22.

The igniting unit 10 comprises a cylindrical body 38 carrying at one enda heating element 39. This heating element comprises a sleeve 40 o1 lavaor the like having screw-thread engagement 41 with the end of the body38. The lava sleeve 40 supports a disk 42 carrying a coil 43 ofresistance wire the outer convolution of which is secured to the diskwhile the inner end is carried by a post 44 insulated from the disk 42substantially as shown in my co-pending application, Serial No. 304,745,filed September 8th, 1928. to which reference should be had for a morecomplete understanding of the means for holding the heating element andplate together. In the present case, the plate or disk 42 is held to thelava sleeve 40 by a metal ferrule 45 spun around the outer edge of theplate 42 and over a flange on the lava body.

The diameter of the ferrule 45 is such that it has rubbing contact withthe internal wall of the sleeve 12 when the igniting unit is supportedin the sleeve; and the post 44 is located in line with the contact 37 sothat when the igniting unit is placed in the holding device, as shown inFig. 1, the post 44 engages the contact 37.

It will thus be seen that the igniting unit has two-pole electricalengagement with the holding device when supported on the holding devicein normal position, as shown in Fig. l, i. e., when not translatingcurrent.

To cause current to flow through the resistance wire 43 so that theheating element may be brought to incandescence, `the igniting unit ispressed inwardly from the position shown in Fig. v

1 to that shown in Fig. 2, and by this movement the cap 32 is caused toAslide on the post 18 so as to bring the contact 36 into electricalengagement with the live contact 31 in thepost 18. Current may then flowfrom the battery 29 through the wire 28, contact 31, contacts 36 and 37to the post 44. Then, through the `coil of resistance wire 43 to theplate 42, then to the ferrule 45 and from that to the sleeve 12 backthrough the ground to the battery 29.

So that the igniting unit may be held in the holding device, againstaccidental removal and yet without employing interlocking devices ordetents which would cause in a jerky motion to result when trying toremove the igniting unit,

the present invention provides slits 46 in the sleeve 12 so that thestrip 47 between the slits may be biased inwardly to frictionally engagethe ferrule 45 and the body 38 of the igniting unit to resiliently holdthe latter in the socket 12. In addition to having the friction abovespecifled, the resilient strips 47 by engaging the ferrule 45 form goodelectrical contact therewith.

While the resilient strips 47 engage the igniting unit with suiilcientforce to hold it in the socket against accidental removal, its holdingaction is such that the igniting unit will be moved from the positionshown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 1, where the circuit is opened, bythe spring 33 against the resistance o1' the resilient strips 47. Hence,should the igniting unit be pressed inwardly and instead of being bodilyremoved from the holding device to be applied to a cigar or cigarette toignite the same, is merely released again, the spring 33 will cause theigniting unit to be slid outwardly relative to the sleeve and permit thecircuit to be opened between the contacts 31 and 36.

Since the igniting unit is slid into the holding device with the heatingelement foremost where it is concealed from the view of the user, thepresent invention provides means for enabling the user to ascertain whenthe resistance wire 43 has been brought to incandescence. To do this,the plate 43 is provided with apertures 48 and the lava. body 40 andbody 38 are made hollow, thus permitting light emanating from theincandescing resistance wire 43 to pass through the interior of the body28. In one form of the invention, that shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the endwall 49 of the body 38 is provided with a window or lens 50 throughwhich the glow of light may be seen by the user.

In the form of the invention'shown in Fig. 6, however, the end wall 49is closed and the body 38 is made, as indicated, of translucentmaterial. When this material is employed, the entire head 51 of theigniting unit is caused to glow when the heating element has beenbrought to incandescence.

The sleeve 12 is provided with Ventilating apertures 52 to dissipate theexcess heat which may result from holding the igniting unit 10 inclosedcircuit position for a longer period than is necessary to bring itto incandescence.

The invention shown herein is an improvement on my copendingapplications, Serial No. 325,877, iiled December 13, 1928, and SerialNo. 352,376, iiled April 4, 1929, in which applications I have disclosedand broadly claim means for indicating the incandescence of the heatingelement.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of thisinvention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and forwhich it is desired to obtain Letters Patent iszl. An electriccigar-lighter comprising a holding device having a sleeve adapted toextend through a hole in an instrument board of a motor vehicle or thelike; a flange adapted to engage the face of the instrument board at themargin of the hole; a reduced threaded member at the inner end of saidsleeve; a U-shaped plate yiitting over said reduced threaded member andhaving forwardly extending arms surrounding said sleeve and having theirforward ends Iacing the rear face of the instrument board; and athreaded member cooperating with the threaded member on the sleeveadapted to engage the U-shaped bracket and draw the ange on the sleeveagainst the front face of the instrument board and push the ends of theU-shaped plate rmly against the back face of the instrument board tormly hold the holding device in operative position on the instrumentboard.

2. In an electrical device of the class described, a holding device andan igniting unit adapted to be supported on the holding device for quickremoval and replacement, one of said devices constituting a plug and theother constituting asocket to receive the plug, and one of said deviceshaving resilient means to engage the other and Irictionally hold the twodevices t0- gether, said igniting device having a heating element andbeing held by said resilient means in two-pole electrical engagementwith the holding device when not translating current; and a switchdevice on said holding device comprising a movable circuit closermovable to position to close a current supply circuit through saidheating element by movement of the igniting device relative to theholding device against the resistance of said resilient means, saidswitch being normally biased to move the igniting unit to open circuitposition and being adapted to move the igniting unit against the.resistance offered by said resilient means.

3. In an electric cigar-lighter, an igniting unit adapted to be mountedon a tubular, holding device for quick removal and replacement, saidigniting unit comprising: a cylindrical body portion adapted to extendinto said tubular holding device; and a heating element including aresistance element and support therefor removably mounted in the end ofthe body which extends into said tubular holding device, said heatingelement being adapted tc be brought to incandescence while supported insaid holding device, and said body and support for the heating elementbeing hollow to permit light emanating from the-incandescing heatingelement to be seen by the user while the igniting unit is still locatedin the holding device.

4. In an electric cigar-lighter, an igniting unit adapted to be mountedon a tubular holding device for quick removal and replacement, saidigniting unit comprising: a cylindrical body portion adapted to extendinto said tubular holding device; and a circular heating elementremovably mounted in the end of the body which extends into said tubularholding device, said heating element and body being in light conductingrelation and the body being of translucent material so that the glowresulting from incandescence of the heating element can be viewed by theuser without removing the igniting unit from the holding device.

5. An electric cigar-lighter comprising a holding device and an ignitingunit adapted to be holding device comprising a tubular member or4 sleeveof metal into which a substantial portion of the cylindrical body of theigniting unit carrying the heating element` is adapted to extend to besupported therein, said metal sleeve being slit and normally biased toresiliently engage the ferrule of the' heating element when the latteris located in the sleeve to retain the igniting unit within the vsleeveagainst casual removal, current being conducted from said ferrule tosaid sleeve by said biased portions of the sleeve.

6. A heating element for cigar-lighters comprising a cylindrical body ofinsulating material having a reduced neck provided with means forsecuring it to an igniting element; a heaterl coil; mounting meanstherefor; means for securing the heater coil mounting means on the bodyof insulating material comprising a metallic ferrule engaging one end ofthe heater coil and constituting a Contact thereof, said body beinghollow and said mounting means being capable of .allowing the passage oflight therethrough into the hollow portion of the body.

7. In an electric cigar-lighter, an igniting unit adapted to be mountedon a tubular holding device for quick removal and replacement, saidigniting unit comprising: a cylindrical body portion adapted to extendinto said tubular holding device; and a heating element mounted on theend of the body which extends into the tubular holding device, saidheating element and body being made in light conducting relation and thebody being of translucent material so that the glow resulting fromincandescence of the heating element can be viewed by the user withoutremoving the igniting unit from the holding device.

8. In an electric cigar-lighter, an igniting unit adapted to be mountedon a tubular holding device for quick removal and replacement, saidignitingy unit comprising: a cylindrical body portion adapted to extendinto said tubular holding f device and having an operating knobprotruding from the holding device; and a heating element mounted on theend of the body which extends into the tubular holding device, saidheating element and body beingl in light conducting relation and theknob being of translucent material sothat the glow resulting fromincandescence of the heating element can be viewed by the user withoutremoving the igniting unit from the holding device.

JOSEPH H. COHEN.

